Adventures in Shield-making, for the Kids (part 1: planning)

Josh got some really heavy duty cardboard and we are going to make shields for Isaiah and Jenny.

For Isaiah, since he loves the story of St. George and the Dragon, we thought we'd do St. George's cross.

(He's faithfully asked for that story almost every night for almost a year, and will randomly say "you never give duh princess to duh dragon!" Also, he will say "duh sheep says...?" and we have to finish. Recently he said to Josh "duh dragon says...?" Josh responded "Rawrrr!" It was the wrong answer "Duh dragon says 'if you don' give me all your cows, I'll burn down...'")

Here are some pretty cool renditions of it from Medieval church windows (I assume taken by tourists, flickr links below).

This one has a sunrise behind the cross.

from flickr here

 This one has some sort of subtle decoration going on inside the white and red portions.

From flickr there

For Jenny, since she is, after all, Jehanne, he wanted to make something like what her namesake had.
I was confused what exactly her standard was, since I had read conflicting accounts (lilies and Jesus, lilies and angels, lilies and Mary, Christ in Judgment, Mary and Jesus, etc)

This invaluable website (with quotes of her actual words) straightened me out. Evidently the confusion was at least partly created by the fact that she had a pennant, a banner, and a standard, all technically different things. (I think her pennant had the annunciation, and her banner the crucifixion, but her standard had Jesus holding the world)



From the trial at Rouen

Question: When you were at Orleans, you had an 'ensign' (this word is normally translated in English as standard). What color was it?
Answer: I had a standard whose field was sown with lilies. There was a figure of Christ holding the world and on each side of Him was an angel. It was made of a white fabric called "boucassin". Written above: Jhesus Maria, as it seems to me, and it was fringed in silk.
Question: Who prompted you to have painted on your standard angels with arms, feet, legs, and clothing?
Answer: I have already answered you.
Question: Did you have them painted as they came to see you?
Answer: No, I had them painted in the way they are painted in the churches.

Anyway, I realized there's a big difference between a standard and a shield. I don't really want the kids whapping a picture of Jesus with their pool tube lightsabers. So.

Then there's the coat of arms given to her by King Charles. While I have mixed feelings about Charles, it looks pretty cool.

 We're going to do it in a warmer blue, and with gold metallic color. I'm excited. And then one day we can make real wooden shields like this awesome craftsman.

from HERE www.yeoldgaffers.com

His work is amazing. I've been longing to do this since I saw it years and years ago in undergrad....